Enjoy
by winterhats
Summary: Having friends is taxing. ShinAya & HaruTaka, one-shot.


_I've been without internet for two weeks, so I'll use that as an excuse for this being way too long. I've broke my own record, HAHA. And I am deeply sorry because this is sappy really sappy and it's so bad and I'm publishing it anyway. I don't like how it turned out but oh well, here it is._

 _I don't belong Kagerou Project, it belongs to Jin._

* * *

It was a fact now. This was going to be the worst weekend of his life.

Shintaro already felt like throwing up and he had only just sat down on the car's seat, and by the moment it actually started moving, time seemed to start going in a froze speed. And oh god, he didn't even know what was worse, being inside the car, or being outside. Because once he's getting out he'll be in the middle of nowhere. With… _those three_.

 _One_ of those three is his lovely girlfriend, actually. But at the time, Shintaro felt like killing Ayano for somehow convincing him. The girl was sitting on the passenger seat, next to his dad, who was obviously driving. She was talking, like always, about nonsense. _Like always._ It's been near fifteen minutes since they started the roadtrip, but Ayano seemed to have a spring in her butt or something because she's jumping to turn around and talk to the people on the back seats of the car every single time there is a red light. And _the people on the back seats of the car_ included him. And, jesus christ, the lovebirds.  
Haruka was sitting in between Shintaro and Takane to prevent any potential fights, but Shintaro can say he knows the boy far too well to know that wasn't the only reason. Of course he'd want to be sitting beside Takane for four entire hours. But if this was the case, Shintaro would also like to be sitting beside his girlfriend instead of this gross over affectionate pair of teenagers. Again; the trip had only started fifteen minutes ago, and as Ayano jumps, Haruka and Takane kiss. And it's gross.

"Should we sing songs until we get there?" when Kenjirou suggested this, Shintaro wanted to open the window. Could he fit? Maybe he could just jump–

"God, no," and it's weird to be mentally thanking Takane by the moment. "Although I have a really good game we could play until we get there."

"Ohhh, and what is it?" Ayano jumped again, and she didn't hear her father's scolds to make her seat properly.

"It's called 'we shut up and let Takane listen to music.'"

"Takane and I play that all the time at class!"

"Yes, Haruka, but you suck at it."

"Ow, I'm sorry! But now we've got more players!"

"Yeah, have fun being quiet," and she trailed off by putting her headphones on. Ugh, he was so, so stupid. Why didn't he bring his headphones too? Takane can be smart sometimes… or not forgetful.

"Haruka actually does think it's a real game, though, you should see him in class," Kenjirou laughed, ignoring Haruka's indignant complaints. "He really looks like he's going to explode if he doesn't talk to her."

"But _it is_ a real game! Once, Takane rewarded me for being a good player!" as he was sitting in the middle, Haruka tried to go a little closer by moving himself forward, but the safety belt didn't help at all.

"She just gave you a candy and a kiss."

"Sensei, those are really valued and important prizes!"

"You're all losing Takane's game," Shintaro suddenly talked for the first time since they got in the car, which surprised everyone enough to shut up. "So be quiet."

"Now, just for that, I'll talk all I want," ah, that man just seemed to be against him. The boy knew it was because his precious daughter is dating him, and he really couldn't blame him. If Shintaro had a daughter like Ayano, he wouldn't trust someone like himself to date her either. But it was still pretty frustrating to feel attacked everytime Kenjirou says something directed to him.

Okay, but he'll make shut up at least one of them.

"Haruka-senpai, if you shut up Takane will probably reward you."

"You don't need to call me senpai outside school, Shintaro-kun!"

"I do what I want, can you shut up please?" god, he was begging by now. He just felt so downhearted by the desperate feeling of wanting to be home that he was making shut up the last person in the car he'd make be quiet (which didn't mean he didn't want Haruka to shut up. He's just more tolerable to Haruka than to the rest.)

But, fortunately, the boy seemed to hear how he was almost crying with his voice, so Haruka decided to actually shut up and try to sleep. That didn't make Ayano or Kenjirou stop talking, though, and they were chatting about trivial things.

"Do you think Shuuya's going to be okay?"

"Of course, dad! Why wouldn't he?"

"Dunno, last time you weren't home for days because of that school trip he didn't want to leave your room."

"Tell him to be strong for me! Tell him that heroes are strong at every situation they're put in, and as hard things get, you've got to–"

"Okay, I'll tell him that."

"I wasn't finished, daaad!"

Shintaro was feeling tired, and there was when he remembered he didn't get so much sleep, and it was seven in the morning. He just realized it because Ayano always looks so energic and cheerful, and that made him be awake for those moments, but now she also sounded sleepy. Ah, even trying to fall asleep he could hear her noisy and annoying voice…

 _"Please, please, please, pleaaaaase come with us! Please, I'll never ask you anything again!"_

 _"If I say yes you won't bother me for the rest of the day?"_

That time Ayano kept her promise, and didn't bug him in all day. She didn't even text him, which was pretty disappointing as surprising. And he couldn't have said he was sick or something like that, because all three of them would have noticed how that would be a lie. He's so stupid, he should have let her ruin his day. And to be honest, she doesn't even ruin it. She makes it not boring. Agh, if he had only said no, now he'd be at home sleeping. Not in that car with a PDA couple snuggling together and an old man who hates him.

And, yes, it sucks to be stuck for four hours in the car with them, but thinking about it, he's stuck at school everyday even more than only four hours, and he has to deal with them anyway. So, it wasn't anything really _new_ …

"Shintaro, I told my dad you write songs!"

Oh boy.

* * *

"Okay, you'll wait for me right here so I can come and pick you guys up," Kenjirou said, as Ayano was getting out of the car.

"Ayano-chan, can you open the door? And maybe help me punching Haruka so he gets off me?" Takane begged, or what it could be seen from Takane, since Haruka was using her as a pillow.

Shintaro didn't see if Ayano helped Takane to punch Haruka, as he went out of the car, for the first time feeling glad of being outside. Because the roadtrip was hell.  
He couldn't get any sleep, and Ayano talked to him the whole four hours. He found himself envying Haruka and Takane, since both of them were fast asleep the entire trip and didn't have to deal with the brunette's voice.  
By now he was making his way to the car trunk, to grab the bag he had brought with him, only to find Ayano there.

"Your bag was a red one, right? The color of the heroes!" she said, looking for his bag in the tetris of luggage. There were so many things because they were only out for two days, if it was something like a week they could just get everything they need wherever they were at, but as two weren't so many days, they had to brought _lots of things_ – which Ayano did herself, that was why her bag was the biggest. Shintaro himself only brought the necessary clothes, his phone, and its charger. Not that he'll need anything else. Ah, and the sleeping bag he stole from Momo's room.

His thoughts were interrupted when Takane hit him with her own bag. "Oi, Kisaragi, are you just going to stand there or actually help your so called girlfriend to carry her bag?"

"Shut up," he hissed at her, not really wanting to admit she was right. Ayano was struggling to grab the duffel bag that seemed to be bigger than herself. "You can't get it out of the trunk because other things are blocking it."

"Oh, that's right!" Ayano said, letting go of the straps to get other stuff out of the way. And when she did that, she grabbed the bag with not a single problem– the girl didn't look like she could use Shintaro's help. She was stronger than him after all.

"Okay, Ayano, be careful, okay?" everyone already had their things, and Kenjirou seemed to be about to do the fatherly speech about how she needed to take care of herself out there. It was still intriguing how he had approved that trip, but Ayano assured her mom helped out. "Make sure to scare them before going to sleep."

Fatherly speech or… that.

"Okay, dad."

"And draw on their faces while they're asleep."

"Okay."

"And don't try to make babies."

"Okay."

"And if you do, use protection."

"Okay."

"That goes for Haruka and Takane. If Kisaragi puts a single finger on you I will cut him."

"Okay."

"Have fun, sweetie."

"Thanks, dad!"

Kenjirou smiled before starting the car, and Haruka, Takane and Ayano waved until it disappeared from their sight. When that happened, Ayano turned around, with the brightest smile she's had in the morning, and talked.

"So all four of us will camp!"

In perfect unison Haruka and Takane cheered with positive answers. And Shintaro groaned.

* * *

 _No available Wi-Fi networks._

"Ayano, what is this?" Shintaro dropped his bag on the ground, too busy looking at his phone and rushing to his girlfriend to see where he was walking on. "What does it say here?"

"Oh, well," Ayano's brown eyes traveled from the unarmed tent to the boy's phone screen. "No available–"

"There is no Wi-Fi here."

"Why are you surprised?" Takane said, looking thoughtfully to the parts of the tent, trying to mentally decipher what the hell she could do with those. "We're literally in the middle of nowhere."

"Well, it's a campsite. In places like these it shouldn't be _completely_ impossible to find Wi-Fi," Haruka, unlike his girlfriend, was reading the instructions, as Takane struggled to don't do so too.

"But there isn't Wi-Fi here," Ayano affirmed, and Shintaro let out a pitiful sound. "But Shintaro, you didn't ask me!"

"I just assumed that you couldn't be cruel enough to make me come to a place like this without Wi-Fi connection!" he whined, falling on the ground on his knees.

"Stop being such a baby," Takane groaned as she moved to a side, since she was also sitting on the ground with Haruka and the whining Shintaro was too close. "Plus, your phone's gonna die anyway since there isn't any place to plug it and charge it."

"What!?"

"Oh my god."

"Shintaro, don't be like that! Just think of how much good this will do to you!" Ayano was insisting, reaching out her hand to help him up. "Maybe after this you won't be so dependent of internet."

"Ayano-chan is right, Shintaro-kun!" Haruka was listening to the conversation, even if he looked like he wasn't paying attention. He seemed more concentrated into setting up the tent, though.

"I am not. Dependent. Of internet," he said in exasperation, getting up by himself and ignoring Ayano's help. "Not having internet means I lost the only thing that will mantain me entertained. And my soul."

"See? Dependent of internet!"

"Don't be so sly, Enomoto! Your battery will die too and you won't listen to music!"

"My phone's off, smartass. I'll save my battery to listen to music on the trip of the way back home."

"And what would you do meanwhile!?"

"…Hang out with my friends? That's pretty much why I am here?" she looked at him deathly serious in the eyes, and Shintaro remembered that since she's dating Haruka, she's been a little different. The Takane from three months ago wouldn't have come to this trip. Shintaro was convinced Haruka had done something to her head– like, brainwashing.

Enough. He needed to be alone for at least five seconds.

"Where is the bathroom?" he asked, approaching to Ayano, since she was the only one of them who had camped before. She reached up her arms and smiled.

"It's everywhere."

"…You're not talking about trees, right?"

"I actually am."

"EH– Ayano-chan, wait, what!?" Takane left what she was doing and rushed to her friend, as Haruka complained because she had just dropped pieces on the ground. "You're not serious, right!?"

"Why wouldn't I be serious?" she crossed her arms and laughed proudly. "We're being one with nature–"

"I don't want to be one with nature, Ayano-chan," Shintaro felt like a jerk for enjoying Takane's exasperated moments, but hey, she's been bothering him until now, at least he had something to make fun of her. Mentally. "That'd be okay for Haruka and Shintaro, but what about us!?"

"Don't wooorry, Takane-san! I've came here plenty of times, I'll teach you how to–"

"I'll have to spend two days without peeing," Takane said helplessly, falling on the ground just like Shintaro did minutes ago.

"Ah, don't worry, Takane! If you want, I could help you to–"

"No, Haruka, I don't want you helping me with something related to peeing."

"Haha, you guys. I was only kidding though," Ayano giggled, and she approached to the pieces of tent to also help out. "There are toilets and showers not so far from here, but I chose this place because there aren't people here."

"Thank _god_."

"Okay, whatever, can you tell me where are them?" Shintaro groaned, not really sure how many times he's groaned during the day already.

"I'll go with you so you don't get lost!" Ayano said, and she lasted really little with trying to help with the tent. Before the boy could complain, she grabbed him by the arm to guide him with her.

She said the truth this time, since they were not really far from where they had set up their stuff. The thing was that he wanted to be alone, and she tagged along with accompanying him to the toilets. At least she didn't go _in_ there with him, and Ayano was waiting outside. Even so, she was _still_ talking.

"We could eat marshmallows like in movies!"

"Mhm."

"Have you ever tried marshmallows?"

"Yes."

"Do you like them?"

"Kinda."

"Great! Do you think Haruka-san and Takane-san like them?"

"No idea."

"Mmm, Haruka-san probably does, but what about Takane-san…?"

"Ayano, stop talking."

"Okay!"

Were they supposed to eat marshmallows around a fire as they sing lame songs…? Because if that's what Ayano pretended them to do, Shintaro wasn't going to be cooperative. And he hasn't slept yet, maybe he'll just sleep the whole weekend and if he was lucky enough he'll die in the process.

"Are you done, Shintaro?"

He didn't need to pee, to be honest. And by just looking at the toilets, he hoped he didn't need to in a long time. Shintaro felt bad for Ayano and Takane, since they actually have to _sit_ on them. He wouldn't be surprised if a mortal illness infects him by just touching one of those.  
But he's been there enough, and because of the smell, he was pretty sure that someone hasn't flush the toilet. Or more than just one person, because that place simply stank.

"Yeah," seeing no other option, Shintaro flushed one of the toilets to make Ayano believe he actually used one. Otherwise she'd start bothering him.

"Oh, good! Let's go back with Takane-san and Haruka-san."

The only noise that could heard were sticks and leaves crunching under their weight as they walked, and Shintaro glared at the ground, trees and even the sky. He just didn't want to be there. The boy felt a cold breeze blowing over his neck, sending a freezing chill all the way down his spine as he heard Ayano's annoying anecdotes of when she and her family used to go to that campsite.

He eyed her hand, moving back and forth as she walked, and his own hand twitched a little. He really wasn't thinking of… grabbing it, right?  
Of course he was. And of course it was weird how he was staring at her hands like that. Even so, Shintaro felt more like a human because of it; he's been complaining ever since getting out of bed, so thoughts like these may mean he was calming down and accepting his horrible fate. If there was no way out, if he's alone with Ayano right now, if he grabs her hand…

Would she pull away? He really wanted to think that she wouldn't. And how the girl had talked about how she feels about him tells him she obviously wouldn't pull away, but it was still weird for Shintaro. To like someone, and to be liked back.

Shintaro sometimes even felt jealous of _Haruka_ – or to be more specific, he envied how that boy is able to grab his girlfriend's hand wherever and whenever he wants to. And to kiss her, hug her, everything. Haruka just does whatever he wants to Takane and she accepts it, to the point of becoming a less harsh person. But how does he do that without dying of embarrassment? The question echoes Shintaro's brain a lot.

"Shintaro, are you alright? You look a little lost," Ayano's idiotic sweet voice made him come back to earth, and by just looking at her Shintaro realized how stupid all of that is. Holding hands is stupid. Liking someone is stupid. Haruka and Takane are stupid. Ayano's stupid. He is also stupid. He likes Ayano and he likes that she's stupid.

"I'm okay," he simply replied, realizing they were already back with their friends– except they were nowhere in sight, and only the tent already set up could be seen.

"Ohh, the tent! What a good job they made!" Ayano clapped her hands together as she cheered. "But I feel kinda bad, we hadn't help at all…!"

"I wasn't going to help anyway," Shintaro said, ducking down and grabbing the tent's zipper to open it. And just as he thought, they were both in there. Of course they couldn't just _disappear_.  
They weren't doing _adult things_ as Kenjirou had called it during the roadtrip, but Takane was still on top of Haruka even if they were no longer kissing because Shintaro just butted in. A game device was laying next to them, since that couple's activities go from playing videogames to making out in a compromising position until one of their friends interrupt.

"Oh gosh! You guys! It's okay but remember what dad said you need to use protection!" Ayano jumped to Shintaro's side, also ducking down, and she sounded far from joking. She was actually serious.

"We weren't doing anything like that!" Takane quickly blurted out, defensive. "We were just… trying out the tent."

" _Trying out the tent_?" Shintaro repeated, as if that would make the girl realize how ridiculous her excuse was. She seemed to be already conscious of it, though.

"We were! And it works just fine!" Haruka laughed, letting go of Takane so she could get up and run away– which was only getting out of the tent before she could get even more embarrassed.

"Okay you two! You'll get away with this one juuust because I looove you and because you did such a good job with the tent!" Ayano giggled for probably the hundredth time in the day, before Haruka's stomach made a sound.

"I'm huuungry."

"Haven't you eat enough?" Shintaro said, beckoning to Takane with his head. The girl took a few steps closer and stood on his hand. Of course, he cried in pain.

"Takane-san that's not a nice thing to do, and Shintaro don't provoke her!" Ayano stood up as she scolded them and Shintaro shook his hand to belittle the pain. "Let's have lunch, then!"

* * *

"Where are Haruka-senpai and Enomoto anyway?" Shintaro asked, grimacing at his cards.

"I think Takane-san needed to go to the bathroom and Haruka-san tagged along," Ayano replied, smirking a little. "Do you have any seven?"

"Wasn't that like, an hour ago?" he said, giving away his seven. "Did they get lost or something?"

"No, I don't…" Ayano trailed off just when she was about to grab Shintaro's card, and the girl blinked a few times before looking deathly worried. "…What if they got lost!?"

"Oh my god, Ayano! I told you you should have gone with them!" what he said was true, but he'd be lying if he said that the reason was to not get Haruka and Takane lost. It was because he wanted to be alone.

"Ahhh, I know, I'm sorry! What should we do!? Their phones are off! And– and…"

Shintaro bit his tongue, and even if it sounded selfish, he was so mad with himself for having brought up Takane and Haruka still not coming back. He's spend the last hour playing cards, talking about nonsense, and laughing at Ayano's dumb stories, just like a human being instead of a cold jerk. It was… nice. Weird and a little awkward, but still nice, since he doesn't get to spend so much alone time with Ayano without feeling all flustered, and just now he was feeling pretty normal. Even warm inside, as sappy as it sounds, to be with her and only her.  
But no, he had to give up quality time with Ayano because those two idiots went by themselves to the woods.

"Should… should we go look for them?"

"No," he quickly said, getting up just like she did seconds ago. "If we do, we'll probably get lost too, and maybe they come back as we aren't here, and that'd mean a waste of time."

"Ah… that's right…"

"Plus, maybe they aren't even lost. They're just… making out on the ground or something. You know how they are," he shrugged, trying to make sound the situation as if it wasn't a big deal. After all it wasn't such a lie; true, they wouldn't make out on the ground, but they'd enjoy time being alone. "And if their phones are off, don't you think they'd turn them on to call us?"

"Oh, that's right," now that seemed to have calmed her down a bit. "So you think they're okay?"

"Yeah,"

"Mhm… okay, but if they don't come back in the next thirty minutes we'll go and look for them!"

"Fair enough."

* * *

He was grinning that smile of his, that one that made her forget about absolutely everything and could convice her of the biggest nonsense of the whole world. It was so, so embarrassing how much power that smile has over her. If that wasn't the case, Takane would have already shoved Haruka off right back when he followed her to the toilets.

She really thought they could get lost, though, and she even mentally joked about leaving candy behind them as they walked. But no, because one, they don't have candy, two, if they did Haruka would eat it, and three, that's stupid.  
But lucky seemed to be by her side for at least one moment, and they hadn't get lost. She knew exactly where the tent was and where _they_ were, not sure how, but she knew.

"I'd like to swim," she said, more likely to herself, but the place was so quiet that it was impossible to Haruka to not hear.

They've came back from the toilets a while ago, but in the way back, they saw a lake. Of course the boy insisted in approaching to it and see it, and again, Takane _had no choice_ but to agree. She guessed Ayano and Shintaro could be thinking they were taking long, but she didn't care. This was the first chance they got to be alone with zero chance of interruption, and she wasn't going to sacrifice that, thank you very much.

"Then why don't you?" Haruka asked, imitating Takane as she was moving her feet back and forth inside the water.

"Huh? Well, I hadn't bring a swimsuit…"

"So?"

"So… so what?"

"Just swim in your underwear!"

"…You're not serious," she said, but no, he _was_ serious. "I am not… taking my clothes off!"

"Why not?"

"Oi, are you teasing me?"

"I – I'm not, sorry!" he held his hands up in defensive status, if by any chance she decided to pinch his cheeks. "I was just saying. I don't see the problem…"

"Says the boy who once went to class almost naked!"

Haruka laughed, remembering the moment he had fell in the fountain. "It's the human body, Takane! You shouldn't be that embarrassed about it!"

"I – I'm not _embarrassed_!" she said that on an impulse. What a lie, her granny would be so disappointed. "I just don't want to swim in my underwear!"

"Why? You hadn't bring more?"

"Of course I have, you– ugh, I seriously want to stop talking about this," Takane breathed for a moment, so she wouldn't start yelling. It was weird how she was able to not yell in the whole day, but she guessed it was because of the quiet atmosphere of the place.

"If you want I can go with you so you won't feel embarrassed!"

"How does your logic work, Haruka? I'm really curious about that."

Haruka laughed as he stood up, and Takane only crossed her arms and looked up to him. "Because we could be together."

Takane didn't even let herself have the time to consider the idea. No, no and no. There was literally no way she was taking her clothes off by just a dumb temptation of swimming. But before she could deny it to Haruka once again, he hooked his fingers in the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, and Takane forgot how to talk.

But that status didn't last really long.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she didn't yell, even if her voice wasn't as soft at it was before. On an impulse Takane almost says 'what if there's someone here' but– they were literally in the middle of nowhere, and no one goes camping in those dates, for some reason she hasn't heard because the music makes Ayano's explanation sound muffled. No one else was around, so that couldn't be an excuse.

And when he started unzipping his pants, Takane closed her eyes and stood up, the earth of the ground sticking to her wet feet and getting in between her toes.

"Don't you _dare_ taking your pants off, Haruka."

"They're already at my knees!" he was so, so taking this as a game. When she's angry, it is all an entertainment for him. He was enjoying this and that was making Takane even angrier.

"Pull them up again!"

"Ah, I don't know, I don't feel like it. Do it for me?"

"I will kick you to the water."

"You wouldn't, Takane, haha."

"Shut up! Just put your clothes back on!"

"Takane, please, it's just me. No one else but me is going to see you."

She opened her eyes, still looking down. The girl guessed her face was completely red by the moment, but the ' _it's just me_ ' was actually something to her.

 _Just the human body, Takane._

Taking a big breath as she gave up, the girl started to unzip her jacket.

* * *

Sparks from the fire lit up the air as Shintaro sat down on the grass and wrapped his arms around his knees, his eyes following Ayano as she dropped firewood to feed the fire. It wasn't even night yet, the sky was only turning into orange, but she insisted it was getting really cold, which was true, but Shintaro knew she was really excited and wanted to set something on fire. As crazy as it sounds.

"Here," Ayano handed him a marshmallow, as she was about to put one in her mouth and sitting beside him. "Just don't tell Haruka-san I opened this bag without him here!"

Shintaro rolled his eyes and a really tiny smile made its way across his lips before he could help it, grabbing the marshmallow. They didn't roast them by putting them through sticks gathered from the woods, but something was telling him they'd probably do so later… when Haruka and Takane appear from wherever the hell they were at. Their location was still a mistery, but at least Takane messagged Ayano and told them they weren't lost or dead. Which was somehow a relief.

"Isn't it wonderful?" the girl said, breaking the weird silence that descended on them. Weird because… silence in a place where Ayano is at is simply weird.

"What?" he almost wanted to say ' _having dragged me into the middle of nowhere? Because it's not'_ but there was a small part of him that prevented that sentence from coming out of his mouth.

"The sky. How it is light blue at day and then it just… turns into orange. And then into a pitch black! And then into pink… and then into blue again!" Ayano was staring at the sky, and if it wasn't for the trees, they could see the sun setting. "It's just beautiful."

"The sky changes color because the atmosphere diffuses light differently depending on the position of the sun," he panicked. _He panicked_ because she's so pretty when she talks about something she's passionated about.

He almost thought Ayano would make fun of him for saying nerdy things, but all she did was chuckle out that adorable giggle of hers. "It's so cute when you use words I can hardly understand."

Shintaro didn't answer. All he catched up of what she said was _cute_ and _you_ , and hearing that was enough to make a light blush cover his cheeks as if he was some idiotic highschool girl in love… even if that wasn't really far from his own case. He glanced over at Ayano. She was watching the fire, and he could see on her eyes the reflection of the light of it. She was grinning, and right, when wasn't she? But this smile was that one she makes when she's looking at something random with an immovable stare, barely blinking, which meant she had something in her mind. He was still looking at her when Ayano also glanced over at him, her grin becoming into a soft and fond smile when their eyes met. It only lasted a few seconds, before the girl turned back to watch the fire.

But Shintaro felt her hand covering his own as it rested on the lawn, and that made his eyes shot back to her, and he melted. Maybe it was only the light betraying him, but he could clearly see her trying to hide her blush by covering her face with her scarf. She was conscious about him watching her, and he knew she was. It didn't take too long before Ayano also looked at him, still smiling, but this was a bashful smile. It was so overwhelming to be able to identify what each one of her smiles mean.

They stared at each other, and as she wasn't looking away Shintaro instinctively swayed forward. And Ayano didn't try to get away. She just stayed there, still, waiting for it, as he was actually going for _it_.

"I'm freeeezing."

Shintaro stood up on an impulse once he heard Takane's voice coming from behind, even if it was from a considerably far distance.

"Ohhh, Ayano-chan and Shintaro-kun already made a fire!"

"Thank god, I'm so cold."

Takane sat down, reaching out her hands and approaching them to the fire, enjoying the warmth it was giving her, as Haruka imitated her actions. Ayano only blinked, still trying to process the lastest seconds. Takane looked at her for a bit, before looking at Shintaro, and she seemed to have noticed something as she raised her eyebrows in confusion, or rather surprise.

"Did we… just interrupt something?" the girl asked, actually sounding worried, since she knows herself how terrible that is.

It only took Ayano less than a second to react and pull up a forced chuckle. "Interrupt? Of course not! You two came right in timing!"

As he heard her laugh, Shintaro sat back down, staring at the ground. _So close_ …

"Let's eat marshmallows! And, Haruka-san, I am deeply sorry but Shintaro and I ate a few by ourselves."

"How dare you, Ayano-chan," the boy laughed, grabbing the bag, and before he could shove five in his mouth, Takane stopped him.

"Geez, eat one by one, okay? Otherwise you'll get stomachache," she said, grabbing his arm so he couldn't approach more than one sweet to his face. Haruka pouted, but he did obey.

"Although you hand's freezing, Takane!" Haruka exclaimed after swallowing in just a second one marshmallow. He took one of her hands with his, and he looked thoughtfully at it, only to get up and go inside the tent seconds later, presumably to look for something.

"Why do you two have wet hair anyway?" Shintaro finally asked, when he finished mentally lamenting his bad fortune.

"We…" Takane looked to a side, and if she thought Shintaro hadn't noticed her sudden flushed cheeks, she was wrong. "We fell in a lake?"

"Good try. And you know what? I don't want to know what you actually did."

Before Takane could answer to him, Haruka came back, holding a blanket on his back as if it was a cape.

"Hero!" Ayano chirped, because it was probably the first thing that came to her mind.

"Yep! This way Takane won't be cold!" the boy sat down again, still grabbing the sides of the blanket, and hugged the girl beside him to cover her as well. "I am your Haru-blanket!"

"You're such a nerd!" instead of yelling at him, Takane started laughing, even if her face did explode into a bright pink.

Shintaro wasn't sure how much time they all stayed like that, in silence, each one staring at some trivial thing of nature or one they had brought themselves. That lasted until Haruka's stomach ached, and everyone laughed.

"Let's roast marshmallows!" Ayano took sticks from the ground, and all of them just knew she already had them prepared. Shintaro _so_ knew they were going to do that.

"I'll pass, I think they taste better when they're not burning," Takane said, grabbing one directly from the bag.

If it wasn't because he was sitting there in that exact moment, Shintaro wouldn't believe people do these kind of things in real life. He's been to bonfires before, actually. If his sister's cooking counts as one.  
He kept himself busy by roasting a marshmallow with one of the sticks Ayano handed him, hearing them chat over dumb things and laughing those dumb laughs the three of them have, and that for some reason he enjoys hearing. Maybe because he's dumb too.

"Shintaro, your marshmallow's on fire," Ayano quietly said, as Haruka and Takane laughed at the scene of Shintaro shaking the stick around the air until the fire disappeared from it.

"…I'm used to eat burn food, anyway."

"Then eat it!" Takane said, and she grinned when Shintaro shook his head, disgusted. "Ow, come on, didn't you just say you're used to that food? Eat it, don't be such a baby."

"I don't want to eat this, why don't _you_ eat it?"

"Okay, half and half."

"What…?"

"Yeah, I'll have half and you have the other. You have to munch and swallow, who wins does what the other says!"

"Why do you have to make everything a competition, Enomoto!?"

Takane didn't hear, she was already at trying to split up the burn marshmallow, eventually complaining of how hot it was. When she handed it to him, Shintaro made another disgusted face.

"Now it's even worse. You've touched all of it."

"Don't be a whiny baby."

How many times in the day has she already called him a baby? It was so weird how she sometimes can be actually a person who he enjoys to play games with, or this annoying brat who calls herself a senior. She's mostly the second thing, but it's nice when she eventually is the first one.  
Okay, now–

"It pleases me to announce Takane-san's the winner!" Ayano exclaimed, grabbing Takane's wrists and pulling them up to cheer, as Haruka clapped between giggles.

"When did you–!?"

"I ate when you were busy staring at the marshmallow," the girl said, interrupting him. Shintaro groaned for probably trillionth time in the day. "Now you have to say that I'm the best and you're a whiny baby."

"You're so immature!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. If you want I can make you do something even worse. I'm being pious."

"I am not saying it."

"Why, because you're a whiny baby?"

"I swear to god, Enomoto–"

"Just say it, smartass!"

Shintaro took a big breath, biting his tongue. She was just too much. But there was a bit of rightness in her words; she could make him do something worse than just saying something like that.

"…You're the best and I'm a whiny baby."

"We can't hear you."

"… _You're the best and I'm a whiny baby._ "

"Who plays eroges."

"Who plays– Hey, I don't–!"

"Staaaars!"

"What?" Shintaro and Takane talked in unison, and they looked at each other as if that was a problem. That didn't last long, though, and they both looked at the enthralled Haruka looking at the sky.

"That's right! Look at the stars!" Ayano was also craning her head to look up at the sky.

Shintaro's head turned up without thinking about it that much, and just as they said, the endless sky was letting them see the millions of light pinpricks. He suddenly felt the gentle atmosphere among his friends and himself, feeling the tension of the day melting away. He was about to look away, feeling a little dumb for suddenly looking at something so natural as if it was unrealistic, but Shintaro felt an arm thread through his, and his eyes went to see Ayano.

"Have you guys ever wondered," the girl said, never stopping watching the sky, as if her gaze was practically glued to it. "How it'd be like if we weren't friends?"

He wasn't sure if Haruka and Takane answered or not, because Shintaro found himself pondering the question. The boy remembered how much he wanted Ayano to be away from him, and how annoying he thought Haruka and Takane were. How to forget it? Just today he's been thinking it. But _as much_ as he didn't want to admit it, he was changing, even if he himself couldn't see it. And there was a tiny part of him happy about that being the case, hoping to stop being just a tiny part.

He was getting better. His depression was still there, it doesn't just _go away_ , but little by little, it actually was. Slowly. He didn't voice it, but Shintaro knew that if they had never became friends, he would have killed himself, because _they_ showed him the world is worth living.

It's been minutes of silence now, they were still staring at the sky, and he wasn't sure if they were expecting him to answer or not, but he just wanted reply the question.

"I don't know," he said, drawing their attention. "But I'm happy we are."


End file.
